Negative Expressions

Negative expressions indicate that something is not so. To make an entire sentence negative, use one negative expression—such as no, not, nothing, nobody, or never.

Avoid using two negative expressions in the same sentence. The result is a double negative, which is incorrect both logically and grammatically.

Do not use partial negatives—such as hardly, barely, or scarcely with another negative word.

The following sentences illustrate incorrect and correct usage of negative words:

CORRECT:
I don’t want any help.
I want no help.

INCORRECT:
I don’t want no help.

CORRECT:
The hikers couldn’t wait to go.
The hikers could hardly wait to go.

INCORRECT:
The hikers couldn’t hardly wait to go.

Click the correct sentence. I could hardly see anything through the thick fog. I couldn’t hardly see nothing through the thick fog.